Moveable light fixture mounted on flat coil springs



Jan. 21, 1969 A. c. HEEHLER ETAL 3,423,726

MOVEABLE LIGHT FIXTURE MOUNTED ON FLAT ACOIL' SPRINGS Filed Aug. 10. 1965 Sheet mvg/T0125 ATTORNEYS Jan. 21, 1969 A. c. HEEHLER ETAL v 3,423,726

MOVEABLE LIGHT FIXTURE MOUNTED ON FLAT COIL SPRINGS Filed Aug. 10, 1965 Sheet 2 of 3 I N VEN TORS -H fz/ZWa/o/Zzep Z feoze ylaf' m' M ML/W `mfom/Enns 3,423,726 MOVEABLE LIGHT FIXTURE MOUNTED ON FLAT COIL SPRINGS Filed Aug. 1o. less Jan. 2l, 1969 A. c. HEEHLER ETAL Sheet INVENTRS Af/zzz d/eezgef I ofge @Z014 United States Patent 3,423,726 MVEABLE LIGHT FlX'lURE MUNTED 0N FLAT COIL SPRINGS Arthur C. Heehler, Park Ridge, and George Taylor, Franklin Park, lll., assignors to Mercer Corporation, Franklin Park, lll., a corporation of illinois Filed Aug. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 478,709 U.S. Cl. 340-50 Int. Cl. B611 29/24 12 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DKSCLSURE This invention relates generally to a light fixture of the type incorporating an oscillating lamp unit for warning and signaling purposes. More particularly the invention relates to such a fixture which employs a novel supporting and driving mechanism for supporting and for driving the lamp unit through a fixed path of travel in order to provide a beam of light movable in a predetermined pattern.

The supporting and driving mechanism includes an annular support member having mounted thereon four coil springs helically wound from an inner to an outer end and spaced 90 around the support member. The axes of convolutions of two diametrically opposite springs are coaxial, and one end of each of the springs is fixedly connected to the support member and the other end is adapted for connection to a casing or housing of the fixture, or other stationary support structure.

The other two diametrically opposite springs are arranged such that their axes are also aligned with one another, but extend perpendicularly to the axes of the rst mentioned pair of springs. One end of each of this second pair of springs is connected to the support member and the other end is connected to the lamp unit.

The windings of the coil springs are sufficiently tightly drawn to afford pivotal movement of the support member about the axes of the springs which connect to the stationary support structure while precluding axial movement of the support member, that is, m-ovement in a direction parallel to the axes of the springs. Similarly, the lamp unit can pivot about the axes of the springs which connect it to the support member, but movement in a direction parallel to the axes of such springs is precluded, at least to any significant degree.

A motor lhaving a coupling connected to the drive shaft thereof is mounted in the xture casing. The coupling has a socket formed therein situated in odset relation to the axis of the shaft to provide one part of a ball and socket joint, the ball of which is carried in the socket and is connected in fixed assembly to a pin securely attached to a bracket which is mounted on the lamp unit, whereby the lamp is driven through a fixed path of travel to emit an oscillating or moving beam of light from the fixture.

3,423,726 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 The support mechanism of the invention affords free pivotal movement of the lamp unit but does not permit complete freedom of movement of every kind and in every direction. As a result the eccentric arrangement of the coupling driven by the motor has the effect of generating a `beam of light moveable through a repetitive and prescribed path of travel, rather than merely a freely vibrating beam of light, the pattern of travel of which cannot be precisely controlled. In addition the support mechanism itself utilizes no bearing members whatsoever and is therefore not subject to the wear and maintenance attendant thereto, and the only bearing or wear parts in the entire fixture are the ball and socket joint and the motor bearings.

One important advantage of the invention resides in the provision of a gimbal type movement to the lamp without the necessity of the four or more bearings inherent in the conventional gimbal arrangement. Furthermore the expense of fabrication and assembly is substantially reduced and maintenance requirements such as lubrication of bearings is virtually eliminated.

The coil springs are provided with axially extending pins securely fastened to their inner ends for mounting the springs and for adjusting the tautness of the windings of the springs for controlling axial play in the springs. Further, as a result of the coil spring mounting arrangement, the path of travel of the moving beam of light can be varied within limits merely by repositioning the motor in the casing'slightly, thereby eecting a change in the movement of the driving linkage or fball and socket joint with respect to the lamp.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a light fixture for producing an oscillating warning and signal light wherein the movement of the light source or lamp is similar to that attained by means of a gimbal type lamp support or mounting arrangement, but wherein no bearings whatsoever are employed in the lamp support.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oscillating light fixture wherein the lamp is spring mounted but wherein movement of the lamp is restricted to a pivotal or gimbal type movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting mechanism for the lamp which incorporates a plurality of coil springs arranged so that movement of the lamp through a prescribed path of travel entails merely a slight winding and unwinding of the coils about the axes of the springs and neither requires nor affords other deformation of the springs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oscillating light wherein the driving linkage between the lamp unit and the motor comprises a ball and socket joint.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an oscillating Warning and signal light wherein the support mechanism for the lamp comprises helical coil spring assemblies incorporating adjustment and locking means for controlling the tautness of the windings of the springs.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

1N THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an oscillating warning and signal light constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with portions of the front cover cut away;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational side view of the fixture with a portion of the side wall cut away;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along lines III-III of FGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a helical coil spring assembly of the invention taken along lines IVIV of FIGURE 2.

AS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS Reference numeral designates generally a moveable or oscillatable light fixture for warning and signalling purposes constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The fixture 10 comprises an electric lamp 11 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is of the sealed beam type having a lens member 12 mounted over the front of a refiector 13. The lamp unit 11 is removably mounted on an annular lamp holder 14 which is grooved at 16 to receive a rim 17 of the lamp unit and includes a plurality of flexible mounting fingers 18 spaced circumferentially therearound for easy snap-in assembly of the lamp and lamp holder.

The lamp 11 is supported for pivotal movement about a pair of transverse axes by means of a support mechanism indicated generally at 19 which is, in turn, mounted on any suitable stationary support structure.

In the embodiment illustrated, the support structure comprises a fixture casing or housing 20 having spaced, parallel top and bottom walls 21 and 22, spaced parallel side walls 23 and 24 and a back wall 26. A front end 27 of the casing 20 is open and it is through this end that the moving beams of light from the lamp 11 are projected. A front cover plate 28 mounting an outer lens 29 is hinged to the casing 20 by a hinge assembly at 30 and a releasable latch mechanism 31 is also provided to lock the cover plate 28 over the front or open end of the casing 20.

The support mechanism 19 is more particularly characterized as comprising a ring-shaped support member 32 disposed within the casing 20 perpendicularly to the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 and substantially at right angles to the central focal axis of the lamp 11. The support member 32 has flattened side portions at 33 and 34 and has a large central aperture formed therein as indicated at 36 through which a back end 37 of the reflector 13 projects.

Four mounting members 38u-38d are spaced circumfereutially about the support member 36 at 90 intervals, two of the diametrically opposite mounting members, namely, members 38a and 38b, mounting the support member 36 on the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 of the casing 20 for pivotal movement about a first axis extending perpendicularly to the top and bottom walls, and a second pair of diametrically opposite mounting members, namely, members 38C and 38d, mounting the lamp unit 11 on the support member 36 for pivotal movement about a second axis which extends transversely to said first axis.

All four of the mounting members 38u-38d are similar and as best illustrated in FIGURE 4 comprise respectively a helical coil spring wound about an axis of convolution from an inner end 39 to an outer end 40. An axially extending cylindrical pin member 41 is connected in fixed assembly to the inner end 39 of the coil windings.

Springs 38 and 39 are connected in fixed assembly to the support member 32 by means of a pair of rivets 42 or the like suitable fastening devices such that the pin members 39 thereof are coaxially aligned perpendicularly to the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 of the casing 20. Reduced diameter threaded portions 43, 43 of the pins 41 of springs 38a and 38b project respectively through apertures 44, 44 formed in the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 and each receives a threaded nut 46 for mounting the springs on the walls of the casing and for locking the pin members 41 against rotation. In order to adjust the tautness of the windings of the springs a radial end wall 47 of each of the pins has formed therein a slot 48 to accommodate a tool such as a screw driver. Thus, by loosening the nuts 46, the windings of the springs can be tightened to substantially negative any movement or unwinding of the springs in an axial direction.

The pins 41 of springs 38C and 38d are aligned axially transversely to the axes of springs 38a and 3811, and extend respectively through aligned apertures 49 formed respectively in a pair of flanges Si), 50 which extend from the flat edges 33 and 34 of the ring-shaped support member 32 in an axial direction relative to the support member. A pair of threaded nuts 46, 46 are also applied to the threaded portions of the pins for mounting the springs 38e and 38d on the fianges 5t), 50, and the outer ends 40, 40 of the springs are connected in fixed assembly by means of rivets 42 or the like to a pair of radially extending ears 51, 51 formed at diametrically opposite portions on the annular lamp holder 14.

As -a result of the arrangement of the four coil spring mounting members 38a and 33d in mounting the support member 32 on the casing 20 for pivotal movement about a first axis while substantially precluding movement of the support member 32 in a direction parallel to said first axis, and in mounting the lamp 11 on the support member 32 for pivotal movement about a second axis which is transverse to said first axis while substantially precluding movement of the lamp in a direction parallel to said second axis, the lamp unit is enabled to move in a manner similar to that as provided by a conventional gimbal support structure which includes the utilization of a plurality of bearing assemblies in journalling a pair of concentric rings to each other and a support structure to enable the smaller ring to pivot about two transverse axes.

In order to move the lamp 11 through a fixed path of travel, a motor 52 is provided within the casing 20 and mounted on the back wall 26 thereof. A rotatable drive shaft 53 is connected to the shaft of the motor through a suitable gear mechanism 54 and is threaded to receive a drive coupling 56 having formed therein an axially extending recess 57 situated in radially ofiset relation to the axis of the drive shaft 53.

A generally U-shaped bracket 58 having a pair of outturned flanges 59, 59 is securely fastened to the flanges 51, 51 of the lamp holder 14 by means of suitable fasteners 60 and comprises a pair of legs 61, 61 each of which is apertured as at 62 to receive the pins 41 of the springs 38C and 38a.' and to afford freedom of movement of the pins.

The bracket 58 is drivingly connected to the coupling 56 of the motor 52 by means of a ball and socket arrangement comprising a ball head 62 which is received in a bearing member 63 slidably carried in the recess 57 and which has extending therefrom a shank 64 projecting through an aperture 66 formed in a back plate 67 of the bracket 58. An end 68 of the shank 64 is threaded to receive -a nut 69 in order to connect the shank in fixed assembly to the bracket.

In the illustrated embodiment the drive shaft 53 extends perpendicularly with respect to the back wall 26 of the casing 20 and is disposed with respect to the lamp 11 such that the axis thereof resides in a plane which is common to the central focal axis of the lamp.

It will be appreciated that the bearing member 63 which receives the ball 62 may be immovably mounted in the recess 57 rather than slidably carried therein, whereupon any slight movement of the lamp 11 in a direction parallel to the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 of the casing 20 can be accommodated by the mounting coil springs 38u-38d.

Accordingly there has been disclosed a warning and signaling light fixture of the oscillating type wherein the lamp or light source is provided with a supporting mechanism to afford pivotal movement in a manner afforded by a conventional gimbal mounting, but which requires no bearing members and eliminates the expense and maintenance problems -attendant thereto. Instead the supporting mechanism of the invention utilizes merely four helical coil springs to afford pivotal movement of the lamp similar to that provided by a conventional gimbal. The springs are provided with means for adjusting the tautness thereof and in addition a simple ball and socket arrangement is provided for moving the lamp unit through a fixed path of travel.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come within the scope of our `contribution to the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. An oscillatable light fixture comprising:

an open ended casing,

a lamp unit, and

means for mounting said lamp unit in said casing to provide moving beams of light out of said open end comprising:

a support member,

a pair of first mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member and connected to said casing, and

a pair of second mounting members mounted at spaced lpoints on said support member and connected to said lamp unit,

said mounting members comprising flat coil springs to afford pivotal movement of said support member about a first axis while substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said first axis and to afford pivotal movement of said lamp unit about a second axis transverse to said first axis While substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said second axis.

2. Apparatus for mounting a lamp unit on an adjoining support structure for providing moving beams of light comprising:

`a support member,

a pair of first mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member and adapted to be connected to the adjoining support structure, and a pair of second mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member and adapted to be connected to the lamp unit,

said mounting members comprising fiat coil springs to afford pivotal movement of said support member about a first axis While substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said first axis and to afford pivotal movement of the lamp unit about a second axis transverse to said first axis while substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said second axis.

3. An oscillatable light fixture comprising:

an open ended casing,

a lamp unit, and

means for mounting said lamp unit in said casing to provide moving lbeams of light out of said open en d comprising:

an annular support member,

a pair of first mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member and connected to said casing, and

a pair of second mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member on a line perpendicular to a line intersecting said first mounting members and connected to said lamp unit,

said mounting members comprising flat coil springs to afford pivotal movement of said support member about a first axis while substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said first axis and to afford pivotal -movement of said lamp unit about a second axis transverse to said first axis while substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said second axis.

4. An oscillatable light fixture comprising:

an open ended casing,

a lamp unit, and

means for mounting said lamp unit in said casing to provide moving beams of light out of said open end comprising:

a ring-shaped support member,

a pair of first mounting members mounted on said support member at spaced points lying on a chordal line of said support member and connected to said casing, and

a pair of second mounting members mounted on said support member at spaced points on a line perpendicular to said chordal line and connected to said lamp unit,

said mounting members each comprising a fiat coil spring, the axes of said first mounting members being coaxial with said chordal line and the axes of said second mounting members being coaxial with said line perpendicular to said chordal line.

5. Apparatus for mounting a lamp unit on an adjoining support structure for providing moving beams of light comprising:

a support member,

a pair of first mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member and adapted for connection to the adjoining structure,

a pair of second mounting members mounted at spaced points on said support member and adapted to be connected to the lamp unit,

said mounting members comprising at coil springs to afford pivotal movement of said support member about a first axis while substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said first axis and to afford pivotal movement of the lamp unit about a second axis transverse to said first axis while substantially precluding movement thereof in a direction parallel to said second axis, and

means for tightening the windings of said springs to increase resistance to pivotal and axial movement thereof.

6. An oscillatable Warning and signalling light comprising:

an open ended casing,

a lamp unit in said casing, and

means for mounting said lamp unit in said casing comprising:

a ring-shaped support member,

a pair of first lfiat coil springs mounted coaxially on diametrically opposite portions of said support member and connected respectively to said casing to afford pivotal movement of said support member about the axes of said springs while substantially precluding movement of said support member in a direction parallel to said axes of said springs, and

a pair of second flat coil springs mounted coaxially on diametrically opposite portions of said support member and spaced from said first fiat coil springs and connected to said lamp unit tc afford pivotal movement of said lamp unit about the axes of said second flat coil springs while substantially precluding movement of said lamp unit in a direction parallel to said axes of said second fiat coil springs.

7. An oscillatable Warning and signalling light compiising:

an open ended casing,

a lamp unit in said casing, means for mounting said lamp unit in said casing comlp'rising:

a ring-shaped support member,

a pair of first fiat coil springs mounted coaxially on diametrically opposite portions of said support member and connected respectively to said casing to afford pivotal movement of said support member about the axes of said springs While substantially precluding movement of said support member in a direction parallel to said axes of said springs, and

a pair of second fiat coil springs mounted coaxially on diametrieally opposite portions of said support member and spaced 90 from said first fiat coil springs and connected to said lamp unit to afford pivotal movement of said lamp unit about the axes of said second fiat coil springs while substantially precluding movement of said lamp unit in a direction parallel to said axes of said second fiat coil springs, and

motor means mounted on said casing and connected to said lamp unit for imparting oscillatory movement to said lamp unit through a fixed path of travel to provide moving beams of light out of said open end of said casing.

8. An oscillatable warning and signalling light comprisin g r a casing, a lamp unit, and means for mounting said lamp unit on said casing comprising:

a support member adjacent said casing, a pair of first fiat coil springs each wound helically about an axis from an inner end to an outer end and situated respectively at spaced points on said support member in coaxial alignment,

one end of each of said first flat coil springs being attached to said support member and the other end being attached to an adjacent portion of said casing to afford pivotal movement of said support member about the axes of said first fiat coil springs while substantially precluding movement of said support member in a direction parallel to the axes of said first fiat coil springs, and

a pair of second fiat coil springs similar to said first fiat coil springs and situated at spaced points on said support member in coaxial alignment with the axes of said second fiat coil springs extending transversely to the axes of said first fiat coil springs, one end of each of said second fiat coil springs being attached to said support member and the other end being attache-d to an adjacent portion of said lamp unit to afford pivotal movement of said lamp unit about the axes of said second fiat coil springs while substantially precluding movement of said lamp unit in a direction parallel to the axes of said second flat coil springs.

9. An oscillatable warning and signaling light comprisin g a casing,

a lamp unit adjacent said casing, and

means for mounting said lamp unit on said casing comprising:

a ring-shaped support member adjacent said casing and said lamp unit,

a pair of first fiat coil springs each wound helically about an axis from an inner to an outer end thereof and situated respectively at diametrically opposite portions of said support member in axial alignment with one another,

a mounting pin assembly associated with each of said first fiat coil springs comprising a coaxially extending lpin securely fastened to the inner end of said first fiat coil springs,

said outer end and said pin of each of said first fiat coil springs being fixedly mounted and Arotatably mounted, respectively, on adjacent portions of said support member and said casing,

a pair of coaxially aligned second fiat coil springs similar to said first fiat coil springs situated respectively at diametrically opposite portions of said support member and spaced 90 from said first fiat coil springs,

a mounting pin assembly associated with each of said second fiat coil springs comprising a coaxially extending pin securely fastened to the inner end of said second fiat coil springs,

the outer end and said pin of each of said second fiat coil springs being fixedly mounted and rotatably mounted, respectively, on adjacent portions of said support member and said lamp unit, and

means associated with each of said pins for affording rotation of said pins to adjust the tightness of the lwindings of said tiat coil springs and for locking the pins against rotation after adjustment thereof.

parallel top and bottom walls with aligned apertures formed therein,

a lamp unit having a central focal axis disposed within said casing for directing light beams out said opened end,

a ring-shaped support member in said casing extending substantially perpendicularly to said top and bottom walls and having a pair of apertured axially extending fianges formed thereon at diametrically opposite portions thereof,

a pais of first fiat coil springs and a pair of second fiat coil springs each wound helically from an inner end to outer end about an axis of convolution,

an elongated pin fixedly secured to the inner end of each of said fiat coil springs coaxially therewith,

said pair of second fiat coil springs being mounted respectively on said fianges with the pins thereof being coaxial Iwith one another and protruding radially through the apertures of said fianges and with the outer ends thereof being connected in fixed assembly to said lamp unit,

said pair of first fiat coil springs being mounted respectively on lsaid support member at diametrically opposite portions thereof with the pins thereof being coaxial with one another on an axis transverse to the axes of said second fiat coil springs and protruding respectively through the apertures of said top and bottom walls and with the outer ends thereof being connected in fixed assembly to said lamp unit,

a plurality of lock nuts threaded respectively on the protruding ends of said pins for mounting said pins on said tianges and said top and bottom walls and for locking said pins against rotation,

a bracket fixedly attached to said lamp unit and having a portion thereof extending behind the back of the lamp unit,

a motor mounted on said casing and having a rotatable drive shaft extending in a plane common to said central focal axis,

a coupling mounted on said drive shaft and having a socket formed therein eccentric to said shaft, and

a drive pin having a ball at one end thereof received in said socket and fixedly connected at the other end thereof to said bracket for imparting oscillatory movement to said lamp unit through a fixed path of travel.

11. In a lighting apparatus for projecting light on an axis,

10. An oscillatable warning and signal light compris- 25 mar z a casing open at one end thereof and having spaced 9 Y 10 a shocking mounting support structure, comprising: References Cited a plurality of at coil springs each consisting of: UNITED STATES PATENTS a strip member and disposed with its winding axis intersecting the light projection axis. 12. In a warning light assembly having a support struc- 5 1,817,091 8/1931 M1uer ture and a lighting apparatus for projecting light on an 2,464,318 3/1949 Kennelly' ax1s,

a gimbal mounting comprising: lOHN W. CALDWELL, Primary Exammer.

four at springs each consisting of a spring strip HAROLD PI'ITS, Assistant Examiner.

wound around an axis disposed radially with re- 10 spect to projection axis, one end of each said U.S. C1. X.R. spring being connected to the support structure 340--49 and the other end of each said spring being connected to the lighting apparatus.

1,786,758 12/1930 Larson. 

